By Mary Niederberger
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When it comes to revenues in the proposed 2009-2010 Steel Valley School District budget, there is good news and bad news.

During a meeting of the school board’s fiscal management committee Tuesday, the board heard that the district stands to get an additional $1.9 million in federal funding from President Barack Obama’s stimulus package if it is approved.

In addition, general state subsidies are currently set to increase by $247,261.

Those revenues will be a help in balancing the 2009-2010 preliminary budget that currently totals $28.4 million.

But special education funding from the state is projected to drop by $16,253 and mounting expenses created by the number of students attending the Propel schools in Homestead and Munhall are costing the district about $1.76 million a year.

That number causes concern to Director of Operational Services Mark Cherpak and Superintendent William Kinavey.

Dr. Kinavey said he expected the decrease in special education funding because the district has lowered its special education costs by reducing the number of special education students being educated outside of the district from more than 50 to 35.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09043/948573-55.stm ]